“Every year the Papatango Prize comes up with a bit of a cracker.” The Guardian
T is the new summer hire at Cafarelli & Sons, an iconic New York butcher, but life in a messy cutting room isn’t glamorous. No-nonsense boss Paula tries to keep everyone in line, but the business is struggling: when the season ends, someone’s for the chop.
With the American dream of a better life hanging in the balance, T and her colleagues turned competitors sweat for their jobs. Alliances form, romance sparks, and loyalties shift. But how far will they go to secure their future?
The Meat Kings… carves into the dark underbelly of America’s anti-immigration policies and the brutal sacrifices that drive the pursuit of prosperity. Winner of the 2024 Papatango New Writing Prize from a record-breaking 1,589 submissions, Hannah Doran’s fierce and blisteringly funny debut play is directed by Papatango’s Artistic Director, George Turvey (Shook, National Tour & Sky Arts), following previous Prize discoveries that have won Olivier, Critics’ Circle and OffWestEnd awards.
Papatango Prize productions in the Press
★★★★★ “One of my plays of the year.”
WhatsOnStage on Some Demon
★★★★ “Astonishing, utterly gripping, hugely entertaining.”
The Telegraph on Some Demon
★★★★ “A truly exciting discovery.”
The Guardian on Here
★★★★ “A serious talent.”
The Evening Standard (Best Theatre of 2021) on Old Bridge
“Astonishingly brilliant. One of the best debut plays I have ever seen.”
BBC Radio 4 Saturday Review on Shook
★★★★ “Every year the Papatango Prize comes up with a bit of a cracker.”
The Guardian on The Funeral Director
Creative Team
PLAYWRIGHT | HANNAH DORAN
DIRECTOR | GEORGE TURVEY
PRODUCERS | CHRIS FOXON & JOSHUA GOODMAN
Artwork by William Andrews, Team Wonderful.
Papatango Theatre Company and Park Theatre present the World Premiere of the 2024 Papatango New Writing Prize Winner
The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights
By Hannah Doran, Directed by George Turvey